Restraining wristlet



April 1962 E. L. WILLIAMS 3,027,895

RESTRAINING WRISTLET Filed March 22, 1960 Mil J INVEN TOR. EARL L. WILLIAMS AITQRNEY United dtates Patent 3,d27,895 Patented Apr. 3, 1962 3,027,895 RESTRAINING WRISTLET Earl L. Williams, Medina, Ohio, assignor to Simmons Company, a corporation of New York Filed Mar. 22, 1960, Ser. No. 16,668 3 Claims. (Cl. 128-133) This invention relates to the art of patient handling equipment and has particular reference to restraining devices used in connection with such equipment.

In the art of patient handling it has long been recognized that it is necessary under certain circumstances to restrain a patient against movement and to this end in the past various forms and types of straps, belts and other similar arrangements have been employed to render the limbs of the patient immovable when required.

In the majority of instances and as indicated above, the restraining devices have been made of flexible strap material so as to be capable of being utilized in connection with a plurality of portions of the patients body. It frequently has happened that in instances of this type, the belting or strap used becomes worn after considerable use, with the result that the same is subject to breakage during use so as to render the device completely ineffective.

In addition, it has been found in many instances that straps of this type are capable of being unloosened by the patient under treatment, with the result that the same are rendered ineffective.

While patient comfort has dictated the use of such straps in the past, it has been found that the above described disadvantages can be obviated if a rigid type of restraining wristlet is provided with cushioning pads on the portion thereof that actually comes in contact with the patient whose movement is being restrained.

It has been further discovered that the use of such a rigid member permits devices of this type to be releasably attached with minimal effort, to any one of a plurality of patient supporting devices, for example, with the result that a relatively small number of restraining wristlets of the type herein being discussed can be employed interchangeably with a great number of hospital beds or stretchers, for example.

It has been further found that the use of a rigid type of restraining wristlet precludes any breakage during use and further that the use of a cushioning material in connection with a rigid type of restraining member provides a certain degree of flexibility with regard to the number of wrist sizes that can be accommodated comfortably by a single unit.

Production of an improved restraining wristlet having the above described advantages accordingly becomes the principal object of this invention, with other objects becoming more apparent upon a reading of the following brief specification, considered and interpreted in the light of the accompanying drawings.

Of the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the improved wristlet attached to the rail of a patient supporting device.

FIGURE 2. is a perspective view of the improved restraining wristlet showing the same in open position.

FIGURE 3 is a vertical section taken on the lines 3-3 of FIGURE 1.

Referring now to the drawings and in particular to FIGURE 1 thereof, the improved restraining wristlet, generally designated by the numeral 10, is shown releasably associated with a rail portion 11 of a patient supporting device such as a bed or stretcher; the arrangement being such that the positioned wristlet can be readily and quickly moved between the closed and open positions of FIGURES l and 2 for the purpose of restraining the wrist of a patient supported adjacent thereto.

Considering now the detailed structure of the restraining wristlet, it will be seen from the drawings that the same includes a support arm 20, that is of generally flat configuration so as to be receivable in the slot or socket 21 of the bed rail 11 so as to have depressions 22, 23 and 24 thereof selectively engageable by the end 250 of a threaded bolt '25; the arrangement being such that the head 25b of bolt 25 can be rotated to permit either adjustment or removal of the support arm 20 with respect to the bed rail 11.

A restraining element 26, formed of generally semicircular cross sectional configuration, includes a concave surface 27 and a convex surface 28, with opposed flanges 29 and 30 projecting from the convex surface 28 for the purpose of receiving one longitudinal end of the support arm 20, with rivets 31, 31 or other conventional fastening means, being employed to effectuate the connection shown in the drawings.

In addition to the aforementioned component parts, one arcuate end 26a of the restraining member 26 is enlarged so as to permit journaling therethrough of a pin 32; the arrangement being such that the pin 32 is also journaled through the enlarged arcuate end 33a of a second restraining element that is indicated by the numeral 33 in the drawings. In like fashion, the opposed arcuate end 26b of the restraining element 26 is similarly enlarged to pivotally receive therein a bail member 35 that is of generally U-shaped configuration, with the opposed ends 35a and 35b thereof being receivable within openings that are provided in the enlarged end 26b, as clearly shown in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings.

As in the case of the previously described restraining element 26, the second restraining element 33 also has a concave surface 38 and a convex surface 39; the arrangement being such that ribs 40, 41 and 42 project from the convex surface 39 adjacent the arcuate end 335 thereof for selective connection with the base port-ion of the bail member 35, with this condition of interengagement being clearly shown in FIGURES 1 and 3 of the drawlugs.

For the purpose of insuring comfort to a person being restrained in the device It), a resilient pad, generally designated by the numeral 50, is releasably attached to the just described restraining members 26 and 33, with the pad 50 being preferably shaped in concave-convex crosssectional configuration throughout its longitudinal dimension so as to be efficiently received against the concave surfaces 27 and 38 of the restraining members 26 and 33.

Straps 52 and 53, having snap connections 54 and 55, respectively, serve to releasably connect the pad 50 with both of the restraining elements 26 and 33, with the just described straps 52 and 53 preferably being carried by the pad 50 and further being preferably spaced at unequal distances with respect to the longitudinal ends of the pad 50 for the purpose of preventing shifting of the pad relatively of the restraining elements. In this regard, it will be noted that the strap 53 (FIGURE 3) serves to prevent counter-clockwise rotation of the pad 50 in view of the interference with the flange 30.

In the preferred form of the invention disclosed herein, the pad is usually made up of soft and resilient type of material, and in this regard the preferred form of the invention contemplates the use of foam or other type of cellular rubber encased within a thin, but flexible, water-proof cover.

In use or operation of the improved restraining wristlet, it is merely necessary that the arm 20 of the unit 10 be positioned withinthe socket 21 of the end rail 11, followed by. alignrnent of .end 25a with one ofthe ,depressions 22, 23 or 2-4. At this time the screw 25 may be tightened to result in thearm 26 being locked against vertical shifting with respect to the patient supporting devices. it will be noted that for safety purposes, the head 257) will beprefcrably disposed under the patient supporting surface so as to be normally inaccessible to the patient. Also, it will be noted in this regard that the notches 22, 23 and 2 are normally positioned so as to be on the face of the arm 28 that is opposed to the projections 4t}, 4t and 42. In this fashion, the bail 35 will be disposed on the outer portion of the patient supporting device so as to be rendered less accessible to the patient.

With the restraining wristlet positioned as just described, it is merely necessary that the bail 35 be disengaged from its position over the rib 41 and this can be readily accomplished by moving the end 3312 towards the end 26b around the hinge point defined by the shaft 32. At this time the restraining element 33 can be swung back to the position shown in FIGURE 2, at which time the patients wrist can be positioned in contact with the padStl, followed by return of the movable restraining element 33 to the position of FIGURES l and 3, whereupon the bail 35 can again be passed over any of theribs 40, 41 and 42 so as to preclude separation of the restraining elements .26 and 33. At this time the wrist of the patient is firmly, but gently, restrained within the connected and encircling restraining elements 26 and 33.

It is believed manifest that in the case of a person having a small wrist that the bail member be placed over the restraining element 42 so as to provide a minimal encircling dimension within the restraining elements.

It will be seen that during the time that the wrist is restrained that at least one of the snap elements is always concealed from the patients view, with the result that complete disengagement of the snaps to permit separation of the pad from the restraining elements is, accordingly, precluded.

It will be seen from the fore oing that there has been provided anew and improved type of restraining wristlet that is characterized by the fact that the same naay be quickly and efficiently attached to a patient supwhen positioned on the user and it has been further shown how the inherent'fiexibility of the pad permits a single size wristlct to be employed in connection with a plurality of wrist sizes.

It is, of course, to be understood that pads of varying thickness could be employed with the rigid restraining members to facilitate proper accommodation of wrists that were either larger or smaller than normal size.

While a full and complete description of the invention has been set forth in accordance with the dictatesof the patent statutes, it is to be understood that the invention is not intended to be so limited.

Accordingly, modifications of the invention may be resorted to without departing from the spirit hereof or the scope of the appended claims.

4 What is claimed is: 1. A restraining wristlet of the character described, comprising;

A. a first rigid restraining element (1) of substantially semi-circular arcuate configuration (2) andhavingaconvex and ahconcave face; B. a second rigid restraining element (1) of substantially semi-circular arcuate configuration (2) and having a convex and a concave face (3) with one arcuate end thereof hinged to one arcuate end of said first rigid restraining element -a.-where by said first and second restraining elements may be moved into and out of encircling relationship with a wrist; C. connecting means (1) releasably interconnecting said first and second restraining elements against separating movement around said hinge point'when the same is positioned in encircling relationship to said wrist; D. said restraining elements having an axial length sufilcient to prevent fiexure of said wrist when the same are in encircling relationship thereto; E. the diameter of said restraining elements in connected encircling relationship being variable; F. cushioning means (1) received against said concave faces of said restraining elements (2) and being shiftable relatively of said elements through a limited path of movement (3) but being secured against separation therefrom during said shifting. 2. The device of claim 1 further characterized by the fact that A. said connecting means include a rigid bail (1) movably carried by said first restraining element (2) and at least one rib projecting from the convex surface of said second restraining element; B. said bail being engageable over said rib and against a projecting face thereof (1) When said restraining elements are positioned in encircling relationship. 3. The device of claim.2 further characterized by the fact that A. said cushioning means include a pad of sufiicient thickness and resiliency to (1) urge said connected ends apart when the same are connected around said wrist (2) and to urge said rib against said bail when said bail is engaged over said rib and (3) to permit disengagement of said bail from said rib upon the application of downward pressure on the convex surface of said second restraining element.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 116,558 Ficks Sept. 12, 1939 1,584,139 Porter May 11, 1926 2,354,971 Wadlington Aug. 1, 1944 2,617,413 Belknap Nov. 11, 1952 2,645,922 Martin July 21, 1953 2,679,842 Brill June 1, 1954 2,794,982 Kay June 11, 1957 2,912,977 Holbrook Nov. 17, 1959 2,983,272 Hunstiger May 9, 1961 

